At Pacifica, we seek to help students think and live well. In addition to our liberal arts curriculum that gives students a broad picture of human flourishing, we also offer four signature programs for students that want to dive deeper into specific areas of study.
PACARTS
Our PACARTS program embodies the belief that the arts are an essential part of a well-rounded education. As teenagers work through the creative process, they develop confidence, grow in their communication and problem-solving skills, build grit through taking risks, grow in empathy and self-awareness, become more culturally literate, and gain a more nuanced understanding of the world. The artistic journey gives students insight to better know God, themselves, and the world around them. As they explore beauty, truth, and goodness, they learn what it means to be fully human and created in God’s image. At the end of the day, these shared experiences create a tight-knit, passionate community unlike any other.
PACARTS highlights: i.Sight, Winter Art Gallery, SCREEN Student Film Festival, Stage Productions
STEM Scholars
Students that wish to pursue a career in STEM or who show a special interest in these subjects can participate in the STEM Scholar program. This rigorous program in engineering, computer science, biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics not only requires students to complete additional STEM coursework but allows them to graduate with STEM distinction and a STEM endorsement on their official transcript. In addition, there are opportunities to hear from guest speakers in STEM fields, take on internships, and pursue specific research through a senior project.
STEM highlights: The Science Olympiad, Hydrogen Car Competition, Engineering Week, Senior Thesis
Minchin Center for Innovation
The Minchin Center is designed for students that want to get a head start on pursuing business and entrepreneurship. The program offers courses in economics, entrepreneurship, leadership, and finance, the Insight Speaker Series, and partnerships with businesses that are invested in the next generation of entrepreneurs. The Center seeks to break down barriers between the classroom and real-world experiences and through guest speakers, internships, project-based learning, and site visits, students are encouraged to apply their learnings beyond the classroom from the start.
Minchin Center highlights: This Little Light Africa Service Project, Internships, Insight Speaker Series
Center for Philosophy & Theology
Pacifica’s Center for Philosophy & Theology was developed to provide students a dynamic path for exploring the deeper questions of life that get at the heart of humanity. Through careful examination of “first principles” and engagement with primary sources, students wrestle with the fundamental question of what it means to be truly human. We believe that it’s important for high schoolers to think not only about the academic material directly in front of them but also to look at the bigger picture of their own meaning and purpose. Through this unique curriculum, we guide students by looking at thinkers that came before us in order to determine how to live well in today’s modern society.
Center distinctives: Intellectual Hospitality, Leisure in Learning, Socratic Method, Creative Opposition
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